The semiconductor industry is continuously moving toward the fabrication of smaller and more complex microelectronic components with higher performance. Market pressures are driving the industry to produce smaller components, but there is also significant market pressure to reduce costs and improve performance while making smaller components. Many integrated circuits include memory cells to store information, and the memory cells are becoming smaller and more complex along with other microelectronic components. There are several different types of memory cells, including flash memory that is non-volatile and re-writable. Non-volatile memory retains stored information even when the memory cell is de-powered, and stored information can be changed when a memory cell is re-writable. Some memory cells for flash memory store information by either charging or draining an electrically isolated component, and the information is recalled by determining if the isolated component is charged or not. One type of memory cell used for flash memory includes a floating gate that holds the charge. The programming performance of the memory cells can be compromised as the size of the memory cell decreases, where programming performance issues include failure of a memory cell to accept and hold an adequate charge during a program operation.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide integrated circuits with memory cells with improved program performance over traditional memory cells, and methods for producing the same. In addition, it is desirable to provide improved memory cells using existing manufacturing processes to reduce production costs. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present embodiment will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background of the invention.